The government has issued guidance on how staff who are attending work in the waste sector can adhere to social distancing and other measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Within the advice, published by the Department for Business (BEIS) yesterday (April 07), it states that staff who are sharing an enclosed space, such as a refuse collection vehicle, should wash their hands before getting in or out of the vehicle if they are unable to maintain a two metre distance.
‘Important’
Bin crews should wash their hands before and after getting into a vehicle if they can’t stay more than two metres apart, BEIS advice says
The document outlined the guidance for social distancing for 12 different sectors which are still operating during the pandemic, including farming, retail and manufacturing.
For waste management businesses, it says work in the sector can continue if done in “accordance with the social distancing guidelines wherever possible”.
The guidance stated that this also applies for those operating a waste site where staff cannot be more than two metres apart at all times.
Sorting
On waste sorting and picking lines BEIS says staff should “observe the same rules as for manufacturing”, and companies should allow frequent cleaning and disinfecting of objects and surfaces that are touched regularly.
Guidance for the manufacturing sector states that “if you decide the work should continue, staff should work side by side or facing away from each other rather than face-to-face if possible”.
Enclosed space
Touching on workers in enclosed spaces, the document says: “When staff are sharing an enclosed space, such as in refuse and waste collection vehicle cabs and are unable to maintain a two metre distance, they should wash their hands for 20 seconds or longer before getting into, or after getting out of, the vehicle, or use hand sanitiser where hand washing is not possible.”
This comes as Dr Toni Gladding, secretary of the WISH Forum, said during today’s webinar on coronavirus and waste and recycling services that new guidance had just been published on social distancing.
“When staff are sharing an enclosed space, such as in refuse and waste collection vehicle cabs and are unable to maintain a 2 metre distance, they should wash their hands for 20 seconds or longer”
BEIS guidance
Dr Gladding said that WISH was planning to update its information note as required and she also mentioned that the idea of keeping cab windows open was of some help in creating an airflow.
The advice from the BEIS also arrived the same day as refuse workers in the Wirral went on strike after the Unite union demanded Biffa introduce strict social distancing measures (see letsrecycle.com story).
Handwashing
The main advice to the entire waste management industry is that “you should advise staff to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds more frequently than usual”.
“Staff should also wash their hands each time before getting into enclosed machinery (such as fork lift trucks or crane grabbers), and wash their hands for 20 seconds or more, or use hand sanitiser when they cannot wash their hands, every time they get out”.
To help with this, BEIS says companies should consider adding additional pop-up handwashing stations or facilities, providing soap, water and hand sanitiser.
The full guidance can be read here.
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
